The Dry Land
by Incognito136
Summary: Returning to Texas, his hometown, Samuel Evans is greeted by his wife Mercedes Jones and his best friend J.T after serving a long hitch in Iraq. He is now suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in which Mercedes is not sure of how to cope with but with the help of J.T and other immediate friends and family members, Mercedes manages to keep Sam sane. TW: vivid descriptions
1. Chapter 1

**Inspired by Ryan Piers' The Dry Land**

Mercedes waited patiently at the plane station, not being able to focus much on anything around her. The only thing she could think of at the moment was if he would be the next one walking down those flight of stairs. Her heart was jittery in her chest and her breathing was almost ceased as she waited with his best friend, J.T who had brought her to the station.

She looked up at J.T who looked just as nervous as she was at the moment and she rubbed his arm softly.

J.T was a big guy, must have weighed something between 170 to 175 pounds pure muscle. His skin was quite dark being that his mother was white while his father was black and he always kept his hair cut at least an inch or two down.

"Look over there." She heard him say softly and she could tell that he was smiling without even looking up at him. Turning her head and her body slightly, her eyes automatically caught Sam walking towards her-smile big on his face.

He didn't run to her, he didn't walk fast; he simply walked a normal pace. It was almost like he was trying to take all of her in before even making it to her and before she could pounce at him so that the tears that were already wetting her face could find a place on his uniform jacket.

When he made it over to her, he caught her as she leaped at him just as he'd known she would-kissing his lips before burying her face into his firm chest to calm her own tears. He simply allowed her to cry while caressing her back before lifting her head to kiss her again, savoring it-reminiscing.

Pulling back from her, he pecked her soft lips once more before looking over at his friend. "Thanks man."

J.T nodded his head and walked over to his best friend to pull him into a side hug. "Anytime," He said lowly before bending down to pick up Sam's luggage. "So, how about getting on the road?" He asked after Sam had gone back to Mercedes, kissing her again and caressing her face-admiring her every detail.

"How about it." Sam answered, pulling away from Mercedes while still looking into her eyes. "Let's go home."

The 14 hour drive back home was pretty quiet most of the way. Mercedes had snuggled into Sam's side almost immediately after they'd pulled away from the airplane station and was soon sound asleep as she had stayed up the entire drive there.

Now Sam was looking down at her as she sat in the middle of him and his best friend on the front seat of J.T's pickup truck. "She must be exhausted." Sam said, caressing the soft hairs on her head, then looking over at J.T whose eyes had been glued to the road.

J.T looked over at her, "yea, she helped me drive some of the way to the station."

Sam smiled down at Mercedes before looking back up at J.T, "Thank you for everything man." He said and J.T finally looked over at him. "I mean, for coming to pick me up, for looking out for her and my family while I was away, and for just being a great friend. Thank you."

"Don't sweat it," J.T answered on a small smile while shaking his head. "You're my man, we grew up together and when Mama Evans asked me to come for you, you better believe I was thrilled. Besides, I couldn't have my honorary mother and father out on this route for all of these hours."

Sam laughed softly. "and how was my mother anyhow? I know she cried up until you two left for me."

"Yes!" J.T exclaimed with a sigh. "She even tried to get me to take her along but you know Pa, he said no. People as old as they are have seen everything and every part of the world then told me and Mercedes to have a safe trip and be sure to bring you back without any more of those damn battle scars."

Sam couldn't help the laugh that escaped his throat from hearing such a thing. "Ma and Pa." He shook his head with a small grin at the thought. "Still up to the same shenanigans they were up to when I was deported, huh?"

"You know it." J.T answered. "They call it getting old, "I call it living like no other." He chuckled softly. "I swear, if only I could live as care free as those two, I would have nothing to worry about."

"I was overseas getting shot at and getting bombs thrown at me, tell me what were _you_ worried about." Sam laughed jokingly.

"Naw, it's just that-my Aunt, they put her back on the machine about six months ago and she doesn't seem to be getting better this time."

"Awh," Sam's expression changed immediately. "I hadn't heard much about that man, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," J.T stopped his pitying. "She's been holding on for too long anyhow and, I know it might sound rude, but I'm about ready for them to pull the damn plug. You know, put her out of her misery."

Sam shook his head, "I know what you mean. Sweet miss Agnes though." He looked out of the window of the old pickup truck as if reminiscing. "One of the sweetest women I'd ever known," He continued. "Was the one who encouraged Ma and Pa to let me go hunting for the first time, your aunt."

"I remember that." J.T laughed. "You had just turned seventeen and you were so excited when they finally said yes."

"I almost broke my neck, getting down from the porch."

"and for me to think I was about to teach you anything about how to hold a gun." J.T added. "You were a natural."

"I was huh?" Sam smiled, still thinking back to that day, out in the woods. "I really believe hunting is what made me want to go to the army in the first place."

"I always figured that," J.T answered softly. "I'm just glad you're back man, finally coming home."

"Me too." Sam smiled, looking down at Mercedes who had started to stir a little to find a better position. "I am too."

* * *

Sam and J.T had spent the rest of the drive, switching between the passenger's seat to the driver's seat and reminiscing, while Mercedes hadn't so much as opened her eyes to see the slight rain that had started to hit the window pane of the pickup only to stop shortly afterwards.

It wasn't much longer before they were pulling up to Sam and Mercedes' home, rocks hitting the side of the old pickup as J.T drove down the trail and up to the two story brick house.

People were everywhere. There was Sam's family, Mercedes' family, J.T's family, and friends of the family all standing on the porch of the home-smiling and chatting anxiously as Sam patted at Mercedes to wake up. "We're here, Baby." He said softly and she immediately sat up and squinted her eyes.

J.T had already started to unload the things off the back of his truck and as soon as Sam got out of the truck, the voices of their friends and family members grew louder as Mr. and Mrs. Evans found their way out of the crowd to greet their only son.

"Oh, son!" Lisa Evans smiled widely as she ran over to touch her son's face and Sam only stood there-holding back tears as he stared down at her before pulling her into a tight hug.

"I've missed you so much," He whispered into the woman's hair, looking at his father who was standing close behind.

Let my woman go, you damn womanizer!" His father talked loudly-his accent deep.

Sam laughed then kissed his mother's hair before gently stepping out of her embrace to hug his father.

"You didn't even give me a chance to charm ya ole' lady." He joked, patting his father on the back, hard.

"I don't think you want my woman anyhow," His father laughed, the only thing she's good for now is feeding me."

"Horace, shut the hell up and let Sam go up and speak to the others!" Lisa chuckled, holding back tears before turning to help Mercedes with her things.

"You know I was just joking Honey," Horace laughed softly. "You're perfect." He walked over to where his wife was gathering bags and took them from her hands. "I'll help Cedes' and J.T. You go ahead up now."

* * *

Sam had never felt more loved in his entire life. Being a part of the army, there was a sense of love most definitely but to come home and to have your people waiting for you to shower you with hugs and kisses and I love yous-there was something about it that made his heart light up.

"Wait, wait, wait." One of Sam's younger cousins of about eighteen years old tried to speak over the crowd who were now asking Sam a billion different questions about his journey. "So you mean to tell me that you were not able to have sex at all while you were away." The young boy asked and Sam couldn't help but laugh at the boy's question and expression.

Yes, Langston." He answered. "I was not able to have sex." He looked back and up at Mercedes who was standing behind him with her arms wrapped around his neck as he spoke. "Because my wife wasn't there with me."

Mercedes smiled softly and leaned down to kiss his lips softly, receiving sounds of approval from those around them. "and how do you know about sex anyhow?" Sam asked, breaking the kiss and looking over at the boy.

"I'm eighteen, Sam!" Langston answered, seriously and everyone laughed when another boy about Langston's age smacked him softly on his head and told him to shut up.

"Chill, Stevie!" Langston argued. "I'm just trying to see what's up before I join."

"Were there ever a time you felt that you wouldn't make it back to us, Sam?"

Sam looked over at a young girl who was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed. She was frail but one could tell that she was a lot older than she looked by the way she carried herself.

"All the time, Stacie." Sam answered in a low tone. "There was never a day where I wouldn't have those thoughts." His eyes had stopped moving as he stared off-thinking.

"Boom! Pop!" He imitated the sounds that he was now more than familiar with. "Get down, get down!" He was loud and even acting out things now as his family watched him intensely.

"Man down!" His eyes watered. "but they said to never leave a fallen comrade. No! He's gone, no pulse, leave him." Then he was quiet, looking down at his trembling hands.

Mercedes eyes were wide and full of fear as she looked around at the others who displayed similar expressions. She leaned over to say something to him, but an older guy spoke up.

"No, give him time." It was Sam's uncle, a veteran to war over twenty-three years ago. "He'll come through. It used to happen to me all the time before I started going to therapy. It's gotten better for me, but I still experience it all every once in a while. Just…give him time."

And just like that, Sam began to speak again. "I thought about it all the time, Stacie," he answered again and much calmer this time. "and I thought about you guys." He added then looked up at Mercedes again. "I thought about you."

* * *

After much catching up, many games, and dinner people had started to slowly leave.

"The cake and macaroni were delicious Mrs. Jones." Sam said to Mercedes' mother as she was starting towards the door with her husband now. "and so was the bar-b-q Mr. Jones."

They both smiled at Sam, "we're glad you enjoyed it, Mr. Jones answered first. "and we're glad you're home." Mrs. Jones added. "My baby wouldn't stop talking about you." She smiled, moving in to hug Sam tightly before kissing Mercedes on the forehead as she was standing right beside Sam.

"We're all glad you're home, Son." Mr. Jones said, hugging Sam as well and then kissing Mercedes. "We love you," He said, looking down at her.

"I love you too," Mercedes smiled softly-looking from her mother and her father.

Mr. Jones looked up at Sam again. "I don't think I have to tell you to take care of my baby girl, my _only_ girl." He chuckled softly and Sam shook his head.

"No sir, you don't."

"Alright then," Mr. Jones smiled, helping his wife into her jacket and waving goodnight to everyone."

After what seemed to have been a million hugs, kisses, and goodbyes later-only Sam, Mercedes, Stevie, Stacie, J.T, Sam's uncle Melvin, and Sam's parents were left.

"Well, me and Stacie are gonna help Mercedes with this mess." Mrs. Evans started off of the couch and Mercedes held up a hand to stop her.

"I got it." She assured them but they had already started to pick up water bottles and beer cans from the living room surfaces so she just went on to help.

"You have a great woman there, Son." Sam smiled at the words coming from his father, words that he'd heard plenty of times before but he couldn't help but smile every time he heard it all. "She's something beautiful too with an amazing family."

"She is, huh?" Sam replied, smiling down the hallway as the women all disappeared into the kitchen.

"She is." Stevie agreed. "You couldn't have picked anyone better."

"I do agree." Melvin nodded his head before sucking in his thin lips. "But I have a question."

"Yea?" Sam answered, pulling at his fingers.

"Are you gonna go to therapy?"

"Therapy?" Sam looked around.

"You." His uncle pointed at him. "You're gonna need it because, that, what you did earlier." He paused. "You're not gonna be okay from the type of trauma you've experienced for a long time so I think it would be best if you seek help."

"I don't need help." Sam replied lowly, trying not to be offended with what he was hearing. " He had gone to war, not to an asylum. He was fine. "I'm not crazy, Uncle Melvin."

"He's not saying you're crazy, Sam." Horace defended his statement. "but don't you remember when your uncle first came home from war himself?"

"Ya," Sam shrugged.

"I shot my dog." Melvin admitted and Sam said nothing.

"I remember that." J.T and Stevie both chuckled but then became serious when they saw that none of the others were laughing.

"I was in denial for a long time, wouldn't listen to what anyone had to say about what was going on in my mind because I really believed that I was okay, when in reality I was losing my mind." Melvin spoke again.

"I don't need therapy." Sam reiterated, more serious than before. "I'm fine."

"About earlier then, Sam." Horace spoke.

"I was thinking about a battle of mine, that's all."

"That's how it all starts." Melvin responded. "Then you start to think about your own wounds and about them getting worse and every sound you hear that's not of the norm, you think something or someone is out to get you-then the next thing you know, you're taking your frustration out on your family."

"I said, I'm fine," was all that Sam responded with.

"Maybe you should just go to therapy." J.T said all of a sudden, "you know just to-

"So, you're with the shit too, huh?" Sam cut him off, looking over at his best friend. "You think I'm crazy?"

"Look man, I didn't say you were crazy. I'm just saying, if your uncle feels that it's what will be best for you; I think you should do it. After all, he did go through the same thing."

"Exactly." Horace agreed with J.T.

"You know what, leave." Sam said, calmly. "All of you get out."

Sam's glare was serious as he looked between the three older men and J.T couldn't' help the amused look on his own face.

"So you're putting us out?" He chuckled softly, looking over at Sam from his seat.

"Yes, get out. Now!"

"This isn't gonna change the fact that you need to talk to-

"Get out!" Sam cut his uncle off, getting up from the chair he'd been sitting in to walk towards the door. He opened it just as the women came hurrying out of the kitchen. "Go!" He yelled loudly.

"Sam," Lisa spoke in nearly a whisper, walking towards her son. "What's going on?"

Sam didn't look down at his mother as he stood there waiting for the three men and young man, who had now started to gather their things, to reach the door.

"What happened?" Lisa looked to every guy in the room-wanting answers.

"Your son needs help," Melvin was the one to speak up. "but he doesn't want to hear it."

"Get out!" Sam yelled again, causing Stacie to jump at the sound of his voice.

Lisa didn't say anything else, only looked over at Melvin then to her husband with worry before going to gather her things as well.

When she made it back to the door, all of the men had already started to their vehicles, leaving Stacie who was now leaning up against the wall-looking up at her oldest brother.

"We'll talk tomorrow, okay?" Lisa said, looking up at Sam and he finally looked down at her and nodded his head.

She grabbed his face and kissed his cheek, speaking an I love you by his ear.

"I love you too." He responded, raising his head to look over at Stacie. "Come here." He motioned for her, holding his arms out and she walked over to him with a smile.

He hugged her thin body to his and she hugged him back even tighter. "I love you, Bug."

"I love you too, Sammy."

He smiled down at his youngest sibling then kissed her cheek before letting her go to help her with her jacket zipper. "It's a little cool out there, don't you think?" He put her hood on her head as well, causing her to laugh.

"It's not that cold." Stacie laughed, snatching her hood back down from her head and kissing his cheek before walking over to Mercedes to hug her as well. "Take care of him." She whispered to Mercedes and Mercedes nodded-hugging her back.

After Mrs. Evans had said her last goodbyes to the couple, Sam closed the door and locked it before turning to Mercedes who simply looked up at him with questioning eyes. "I love you." He whispered softly after pulling her to him and backing them up towards the wall opposite the door and kissing her lips softly.

"I love you too." She whispered back, her head tilted upwards towards his. Pecking his lips once more, she pulled away from his hold, "I'm gonna go finish cleaning up this mess," she reached up to smooth her hand over his nicely shaved head. "You should go run us a bath and I'll be up in a few."

* * *

Shortly after Mercedes had finished cleaning most of what needed to be cleaned downstairs, she headed upstairs where Sam was now sitting on the ottoman at the foot of their king sized bed.

She walked over to him and almost didn't notice the way he seemed to be pulling at his fingers before he reached out to hug her to him, his face against her soft stomach.

Looking around, she noticed that the television was blank and that he was still fully dressed. "How long have you been waiting?" She spoke softly, rubbing her hands up his arms then to his face to lift his head so that he was now looking up at her.

Sam shook his head, "not long." He stood up suddenly, causing her to step back. "I ran us a bath."

Grabbing her hand, he lead the way to the bathroom where he had ran them a full bubble bath. The lights had been dimmed and he'd even taken the time out to light some of her favorite scented candles around the bathroom. "Sam.." she said softly and he could tell that she was smiling before he even looked back at her. "How thoughtful."

Sam said nothing as he began to undress in front of her, his eyes glued to hers.

Mercedes kept telling herself that she should probably be doing the same but she couldn't help herself as she stood there, watching him undress before her. The last time she'd seen Sam like this, he'd gotten approved to come home for Christmas. Now it was nearly six months later and he seemed to be even bigger.

He had been big then, a little over 175 pounds pure muscle but now he must have weighed something over 180 pounds and all of him belonged to her.

She admired his biceps and abdominals and the way his muscles flinched slightly as he began to mess with the button on his pants.

"Are you gonna get undressed or not?" He broke the silence all of a sudden, a smile spread across his face.

She looked up at him, her eyes dark and he simply turned around as if to give her privacy.

"What are you doing?" She asked and she heard him unzip his pants.

"I thought that maybe you wanted some privacy." He said, looking over his shoulder at her.

His back was strong and Mercedes wanted nothing more than to run her hands across the muscles there.

"Sam, I don't need privacy." She chuckled. "I was just admiring you." She pulled her shirt over her head in one swift motion when he turned back towards her. "Your body.."

He pulled his pants down his strong legs and Mercedes bit her lip when he started to walk towards her again, now in nothing but his briefs and socks. Reaching around her, he undid her bra clasp and stared at her face as her bra fell to the floor. "Now finish undressing." He spoke lowly, leaning forward to pull his briefs and socks off.

As soon as he was done, he turned his back to her who was still undressing and climbed into the bath-leaning back and allowing her to settle in between his parted legs when she at last joined him.

"This is lovely, Sam." Mercedes said, sighing softly and laying her head back and onto his shoulder.

He let his hands find hers underneath the warm water and brought both of their hands up to her chest, linking their fingers. "I've missed you."

She sighed again, "I've missed you too." She responded, rubbing her thumb across his fingers. "and I'm happy you're home, finally."

She could feel Sam's face by her hair now and she wondered if he was taking in her scent. "Me too," He replied. "and I'm happy you waited for me."

Mercedes was awfully quiet before speaking again, "What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, her thumb no longer grazing over his fingers. "You know I'd always wait for you."

"I know but I'm also sure that men have thrown themselves at you these past years that I've been away."

"I've had a few encounters," She answered honestly. "They never mean anything though."

He sighed in her hair, "Why?"

"Because I only want you."

"I just like to hear you say that," He responded and she could tell that he was smiling behind her.

"Sam?" Mercedes called after they had both become quiet, enjoying only one another's presences and the sounds of their own soft breathing.

"Yes?"

"About earlier today, what made you put your father and the others out?"

"My uncle, you know how he gets to talking sometimes and he just talks too damn much."

"Your uncle has always talked a lot, Baby." Mercedes was serious even though she chuckled.

"Yeah, but this time it pissed me off."

"What'd he say?"

"He thinks that I should go to therapy and some other bull, that's not going to happen."

"You think it's a bad idea?"

Sam sat up slightly, causing Mercedes to sit up as well. "You don't?"

"I'm just saying, if your uncle thinks that it's something that will be good for you, I think you should listen to him on that. After all, I've heard how the war affects people sometimes after they come home." She rubbed some soap on her hands then rubbed it onto his firm chest and biceps. "I wouldn't know what to do if something like that were to ever happen to you."

"Great, you think I'm crazy too." Sam was looking up at her who had turned almost completely towards him now.

"You know I don't think you're crazy," Mercedes stated honestly. "I just..I want what's best for you, that's all."

"Well, I don't need therapy," He replied. "and what's best for me is us dropping this..completely, kay?"

She shrugged her shoulders after that, "Okaaay," She sang, still running her hands up and down his chest.

* * *

Almost an hour had passed before Sam had climbed out of the bath, leaving Mercedes who had come into the room shortly afterwards.

She entered, a pink towel wrapped tightly around her frame only to find Sam sitting on the edge of the bed-pulling at his fingers again.

She watched him closely and had even thought about asking him about the action, but had let it go and instead walked over to her dresser to get some lotion.

"What're you thinking about?" She asked when she made it back over to him while climbing onto the bed with the lotion bottle-squirting some onto her hand and rubbing it onto his back.

"Nothing." He shook his head and Mercedes climbed off of the bed, securing her towel.

She squirted some more lotion onto her hands, rubbing it across his chest and abdominals this time. "Something is definitely on your mind, Sam."

He sighed softly before responding, "Did J.T seem weird to you today?" He asked all of a sudden and Mercedes stopped her movements.

"Weird how?" She asked, looking down at him.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I just know that something wasn't right with him today. He just didn't seem like _J.T_."

"He could've just been worried about his aunt." Mercedes stated, starting to move her hands again.

"Yea, you're right." Sam agreed, "but even then, there was still something a little off about him. Like, every time I would catch him looking at me, he would either turn his head or he wouldn't look at me at all." He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just looking into this too much."

"I didn't notice anything," Mercedes shook her head then leaned forward to kiss his jawline. "I do know that I'd rather not talk about J.T right now though," she leaned down further to kiss his neck, "or anyone else for that matter," she kissed his lips and he let his hands run up and down her sides-liking the feel of the soft pink towel wrapped around her body.

"I've really missed you, Soldier." She let her fingers graze his nipples and he immediately reached up to undo the tuck of her towel-watching it fall off of her body and onto the floor in a heap around her.

"I've missed you too." He pulled at her until she was straddling his strong legs and she kissed him again.

***smiles widely* Heeeyy! What do you guys think of this story Idea? Would you like for me to continue it? Should I? I'm aware that I need to be updating my other two stories but this is an idea that I've had saved to my flash drive for a while now so I decided to go ahead and finish up the outline as well as this chapter so here it is. I hope you guys like it or _love_ it and I will definitely be updating my other two fics very soon, so please stay alert. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Please forgive any errors and enjoy! :)**

Mercedes woke up the next morning to voices, and a lot of them. Rising up from her spot in bed, she saw that Sam was no longer beside her and that the small table clock read _8:42_ a.m.

Being that there was only a sheet draped around her naked frame, she got up from the bed and hurriedly pulled on some underwear, a pair of sweats, and a fitting T-shirt before starting down the stairs.

"Oh hey, Mercedes. We were just speaking of you. All good things, of course."

Sam's cousin, Quinn was the first person to spot Mercedes and her voice was the first voice Mercedes recognized clearly from the rest as she was the loudest at the moment.

She laughed at Quinn, "Good morning everyone." She smiled softly, still standing on the staircase.

Next to come was her own mother. "So you got on up, huh?" She said, walking over to Mercedes. She grabbed her hand, "Come on in the kitchen and get yourself something to eat." She dragged her into the kitchen where a different variety of foods had been set out on the kitchen counter and on the island.

"I was just coming down to say good morning," Mercedes spoke after her mother dragged her through the crowd and into the kitchen, "Then I was gonna head back up to get dressed."

"Oh, well you might as well eat something since you're already down here." Mrs. Jones wasn't trying to hear any of it as she was already fixing Mercedes a cup of orange juice.

Mercedes took a bagel from the countertop and had just began putting butter on it when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist.

"Good morning." She heard Sam say by her ear.

"Morning," She smiled widely, now spreading butter onto the bagel.

"They want to hear you sing." He said just as Mercedes bit into the pastry.

"Oh uhm uh," She responded, her mouth full. "I don't want to."

"Ah, come on." He turned her in his arms. "Just one song, a chorus."

"Not right now, Sam." She shook her head. "Ask Quinn and Stacie to sing."

"They've been singing all morning," He pleaded and she laughed.

"No, Sam." She pecked his lips softly then pulled out of his embrace before starting towards the family room.

"Awh, the lady of the hour." She heard Horace call out once she was in the family room and she smiled shyly, sitting on the edge of the couch next to Quinn.

Quinn was one of the prettiest women Mercedes had ever seen. A stay at home mom of two girls, and happily married to a lawyer.

"You must sing something," Quinn flipped her short blonde hair to look back and up at Mercedes and most of the family agreed.

"I'm gonna have to pass." Mercedes smiled softly and shook her head. "Maybe later though."

"Awh, okay." Quinn replied, "but you _have_ to sing later or we'll never forgive you." She laughed softly and the family agreed.

"Deal." Mercedes smiled.

* * *

Hours passed and Mercedes was now dressed in a pair of black jeans and a white graphic tee, sitting on the couch in between Quinn and Stacie-listening to Sam tell stories about when he was away overseas.

It seemed like no matter how much he told his stories, they were never enough. There was always someone who would ask him another question or bring up something else that got him to talking again.

Mercedes didn't mind much even though most of the women had left the men and gone outside at one point just to get away from the talk, although they wouldn't admit it.

"The water was cold," was all Mercedes heard and she soon realized that she had been staring at Sam but hadn't been listening to anything he'd been saying anymore.

There was something about his actions; the way he moved his hands, pulled and squeezed at his fingers, and looked around himself as wanting to stay as alert as possible.

"It was always cold."

"Uhm!" Mercedes spoke up all of a sudden, causing almost everyone in the room to look at her.

"How about Quinn, and Stacie, and I sing that song you were wanting for us to sing earlier." She spoke to Sam with the biggest smile on her face.

"We wanted to hear YOU sing!" Quinn exclaimed on a laugh, causing Mercedes to glare at her. "but sure. Stacie and I can join in."

Stacie scooted to the edge of the couch, looking back at Quinn and Mercedes now. "So what are we singing?"

Mercedes loved how the young girl always seemed ready to entertain.

"How about _No One_ by Alicia Keyes?" Quinn asked, looking at both Stacie and Mercedes for approval.

Stacie frowned a little, "I love that song but..." She paused to think.

"You guys could sing something by Tori Kelly." Langston spoke up from across the room.

"Why are you here again?" Stevie chuckled at the boy.

"I'm here because I'm apart of this family and my mother never calls to ask me where I am." Langston chuckled as well, "now shut up."

Some of the family chuckled as well, "and you know you're always welcome, Langston." Mrs. Evans glared at Stevie."

"OH! What about _The Story_ by Brandi Carlile?" Stacie spoke again and loudly this time as she had been silently thinking about what song they could sing.

Mercedes smiled, "Oh, yes! I like that one, Stacie."

"Mercedes, you're starting." Quinn pointed. "No getting out of this one."

Mercedes shrugged with a chuckle, "okay."

Sam was silent as he sat on his chair, merely watching those around him as Mercedes began to sing.

**Mercedes:**

_All of these lines across my face_

_Tell you the story of who I am_

_So many stories of where I've been_

_And how I got to where I am_

_But these stories don't mean anything_

_When you've got no one to tell them to_

_It's true... I was made for you_

Mercedes finished singing the first verse of the song with sounds of appraisal coming from those around her before pointing over at Quinn to take the second verse.

**Quinn:**

_I climbed across the mountain tops_

_Swam all across the ocean blue_

_I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules_

_But baby I broke them all for you_

_Because even when I was flat broke_

_You made me feel like a million bucks_

_You do and I was made for you_

Quinn sang her part effortlessly, receiving cheers from those around her when she went up in range to reach the notes just as Brandi Carlile had in the music video that she'd watched numerous times before.

**Stacie:**

_You see the smile that's on my mouth_

_It's hiding the words that don't come out_

_And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed_

_They don't know my head is a mess_

_No, they don't know who I really am_

_And they don't know what I've been through like you do_

_And I was made for you..._

Stacie was becoming a natural and Sam couldn't help but smile at the way her voice had gotten better over the years. She no longer sounded nervous when she opened her mouth to sing and she sang out like she was aware of the talent she had. He wondered if Mercedes had taken time out to work with her while he was gone.

As soon as she got done singing, Stevie screamed a 'yes' in her direction, and Sam couldn't help but laugh at how the boy seemed to be his sister's biggest fan as he'd been screaming praises at her all morning and evening for her singing.

**Mercedes:**

_All of these lines across my face_

_Tell you the story of who I am_

_So many stories of where I've been_

_And how I got to where I am_

_But these stories don't mean anything_

_When you've got no one to tell them to_

_It's true... I was made for you_

_Oh yeah, well it's true...that_

_I was made for you..._

Mercedes ended the song, smiling over at Sam and almost every other person in the room followed her gaze. She hadn't even meant for the song to be one in which she could relate her love for Sam, but it had ended up that way and all she could think about now was last night and what had went down between the two of them before she'd fallen asleep and woke up to the bright sun shining through their window and the many voices downstairs.

* * *

Now that they were finished with their song, people were talking loudly again and complimenting them on their voices with Sam picking Stacie up off of her feet to hug her tightly.

Mercedes smiled at his actions and just as Quinn started to discuss one of her favorite parts of the song with Mercedes, he walked over to them.

"You all sounded amazing." He looked over at Quinn and gave her a small smile before reaching out a hand to Mercedes.

She took his strong hand and let him help her up from her spot on the couch. "That was beautiful." He spoke softly before kissing her softly on the lips.

She wanted to lose herself in his kiss and she probably would have had she not felt a pair of hands prying him away from her.

"Lisa said she's about to straighten up in here." Mrs. Jones spoke to them, "and I need you," she pointed at Mercedes, "to help me in the kitchen." Mercedes allowed her mother to drag her away from Sam and into the kitchen for the umph-tenth time that day.

"Put the leftovers in the fridge." Mrs. Jones spoke, running water into the sink to wash the dishes.

She did as her mother said, piling dish after dish into the fairly large refrigerator.

"Lisa told me about the little incident that happened last night."

Her mother was talking low and Mercedes tried not to act interested in what she was about to bring up. "What's that?" She moved towards the sink and leaned up against the countertop.

"Why exactly did Sam put everyone out last night?"

"He didn't put everyone out."

"Well, Horace and Melvin." Mrs. Jones clarified, cleaning the dishes.

Mercedes shrugged. "He said they were talking a lot."

"What were they saying?"

"I didn't ask him." Mercedes lied.

"Something about going to therapy, right?"

"I didn't ask him about it, Ma."

"Well, that's what Lisa told me. "Said, Melvin was trying to tell him that he should start seeing a therapist but he didn't want to hear it so she thought it would be best if you would try and talk to him."

"It would be best if I talk to him?" Mercedes gawked. "How do y'all figure he will listen to me if he wouldn't even listen to uncle Melvin?"

"He listens to you."

"He listens to Miss Lisa too."

Mrs. Jones was quiet. "I guess she just doesn't want him to feel like she's taking sides."

"and what would I be doing if I went to him, Ma?" Mercedes shook her head.

"Being a good wife, looking out for him."

"Well, wouldn't she be being a good mother and looking out for him?"

Mrs. Jones couldn't even argue with her daughter on that. "Well, you know I'm gonna support you two in whatever you do so, I'm okay if you're okay."

"I know." Mercedes said, now moving to stand beside her mother so that she could rinse and dry the dishes that she'd already cleaned. "and I thank you for that."

"You're welcome, Baby."

* * *

After Mercedes and Mrs. Jones had finished with everything in the kitchen and Mrs. Jones had retrieved the plate that she'd put up for Mr. Jones earlier during the day-they found their way back to the living room.

Everyone must have left while they were in the kitchen because now there were only Mrs. Evans and the three teens in the living room where Stacie and Mrs. Evans were just finishing up.

"Where's Sam?" Mercedes asked, looking over at Stevie and Langston who had their heads buried in one of the others phone-chuckling and talking in code.

"He and J.T went out earlier." Stevie spoke up quickly. "Said they would be back before everyone left but they've been gone for nearly an hour now."

Mercedes frowned softly. _Why hadn't Sam mentioned this to her?_ "Did they mention to either of you where they were going?" Mercedes asked, looking around with a worried expression on her face.

Stevie and Langston both shook their heads.

"I don't think so, but I'm sure they haven't gone far." Lisa replied. "They should be back in no time." She looked over at Stacie, "Have you gotten all of your things ready to go?" She asked and the girl nodded.

"I know, I just thought that maybe he would have let me know." She said, watching the woman get into her jacket.

"Can you two get into your jackets before you have to walk back to town Tonight?" Lisa warned Stevie and Langston.

"We are," Stevie broke away from the phone to retrieve his belongings.

Mrs. Jones laughed softly at the woman, "That technology." She shook her head before grabbing her own jacket, "I'm gonna head on home too," she looked at Mercedes. "You know your father will sit around and not eat all day like he doesn't know how to cook-just waiting for me to get there."

"Hell, Horace does the same thing." Lisa laughed even though she was very serious. "they feel like it's our duty to feed them."

"That's why I'm never getting married." Stacie put in.

"You don't even have a boyfriend." Stacie laughed mockingly.

"That's because you run them all off, Jerk."

"You're 17!"

"So are you but I don't ever say anything about the dense blondes you bring around."

Langston laughed at that and Stevie glared at him. "What? You _are_ attracted to stupid girls though."

"That's enough you three." Lisa broke up the talk between the three teens. "Let's go."

"He's not staying with us tonight," Stevie said on the way out.

"Dude, that's not even your house."

Mrs. Jones, Lisa, and Mercedes shook their heads at the teens as they were all outside of the house now.

"See you ladies tomorrow," Lisa replied on a small chuckle. "They are about to worry me dead tonight."

"I can only imagine." Mrs. Jones laughed. "This one and Santana used to kill me-arguing like sisters."

Lisa laughed at that, "Goodnight now."

"Night." Mercedes and Mrs. Jones said in unison.

Shortly after Lisa had left with the crew, Mrs. Jones was leaving as well.

"Tell Daddy that I love him and I'm sorry he couldn't make it today." Mercedes said kissing and hugging her mother after walking her out to her car.

"I will." She looked up at her daughter. "I love you, Dear."

"I love you too, Mommy." Mercedes smiled softly. "Now be safe and call me as soon as you make it." She motioned for Mrs. Jones to move her leg so she could close the door then watched her pull off before going back inside.

* * *

Mercedes hadn't started to worry too much about Sam and J.T's whereabouts until nearly another hour had passed.

She hadn't gotten as much as a phone call back from J.T or Sam and she had called numerous times after getting off of the phone with her mother and out of the shower.

She sat there, on the living room couch-flipping through the channels of the 50" flat screen television and sighing restlessly.

Just as she was about to use her cell to phone Sam again, she heard J.T's pickup outside-loud as ever.

Standing in the doorway, she frowned as she saw Sam stumble out of the passengers side of the truck-nearly falling to the ground.

Gasping, she left the door open to go put on her purple flip flops before returning back to the door where J.T was now brining Sam up the steps.

"What the hell, J.T!" She yelled, stepping outside and in front of Sam to view him.

"Let me get him inside." J.T stumbled himself and she stepped out of the way.

"Why were you two not answering your phones earlier?" She asked. "It's going on 11:00! I was worried!"

"about who exactly?" J.T asked, lying Sam out across the living room couch.

Mercedes forgot about his comment when she noticed a bruise on Sam's forehead. "What happened to him?" She asked, sitting down next to Sam and reaching out to touch the bruise.

"We were hunting and he sort of ran into a tree, that's all." J.T answered, looking down at the man sprawled out on the couch.

"Go get me an ice towel." Mercedes shook her head at J.T. "and a cup of water!" She yelled over her shoulder once J.T had disappeared from her sight.

When he stumbled back to her, he placed the glass of water onto the table and handed her the towel of ice. "He doesn't need all of this, just a little rest and he'll be fine."

"He's drunk!" Mercedes yelled up at him, now running the towel over Sam's forehead-paying special attention to the bruise.

Before she knew it, Sam was up on his feet-taking her with him and pushing her roughly into the wall opposite of where they had been sitting. She missed the television stand by an inch but he still managed to make her hit her head against the wall.

J.T ran to get him off of her and he pushed J.T away.

"Sam!" She yelled out in shock, struggling as he used his strong hands to pin her arms on either side of her head. "Sam, stop! It's me!" She couldn't help the tears that streamed down her face as J.T finally managed to pull him away from her without him doing anything else to her before pinning him down on the couch.

"Stop!" J.T yelled at Sam. "be cool, man!" And as if Sam had understood what he'd said to him, his movements ceased and he laid completely still on the couch.

J.T looked up at a hysterical Mercedes who hadn't even thought to move from her spot against the wall. He couldn't stand to see her all shaken up like this. "I'm so sorry," He started towards her after standing up from the couch and she used her hands to stop him from coming any closer.

"Why the hell?" She tried to stop the tears, "Did you really think getting him drunk then taking him shooting was a good idea, J.T?!" She yelled all of a sudden.

"I didn't know he would act like this, Mercedes." J.T edged closer.

"Just..." She closed her eyes and held a hand up to him. "leave." She sniffed softly.

"Leave?" He asked as if he couldn't believe she'd just said that to him.

"Please..." She looked away.

"Are you gonna be okay?" He asked, "because I could-"

"I don't need you here...I don't want you here." She cut him off.

"Okay." He answered softly, stepping away from her. "but if you need anything, Mercedes, do not hesitate to call me."

As soon as J.T was out of the door, Mercedes locked it and then went over to look at Sam. Wiping tears from her face, she stared at him-thinking about the conversation she'd had with her mother earlier. She didn't want to believe just as much as he didn't want to believe that he was going to have to seek help soon. Shaking the thought from her head, she quietly walked up the stairs and to their room-locking the door behind her.

* * *

Mercedes woke up the next morning in a haze. Her eyes were wet and sticky and her pillow was damp. When she noticed steam coming from underneath the master bathroom door but heard no water running, her eyes widened and she sat up in bed.

_Had Sam just gotten out of the shower? _She could have sworn she'd locked the bedroom door before going to sleep last night. She looked over at the small table clock.

_8:46 _a.m

She heard no voices downstairs today, only the faint sound of feet coming towards the bathroom door now.

She thought about playing asleep but before she could even lie back down, the bathroom door opened and Sam walked out with a white dry towel wrapped securely around his bottom portion.

"Morning, Beautiful." He smiled at her and she subconsciously smoothed her hair down but she didn't reply as she watched him stalk towards her. He sat on the bed and scooted as close to her as possible, moving in to kiss her lips.

_-Smack!-  
_

Sam's eyes grew wide and he cupped his cheek in astonishment.

"You went crazy last night, Sam!" She all but whispered and Sam frowned, confusion clear on his face.

"J.T brought you in here and you ambushed me like I was one of your fucking battles!" She sat up on her knees and punched his arm.

Sam didn't respond as he looked at her eyes which were full of anger and fear all at the same time. All of a sudden, she moved to climb off of the bed and he grabbed her.

"Don't you ever! Touch me like that again!" She snatched away from him and he succeeded in pulling her to him anyhow.

"I didn't! I don't remember! I just know I woke up this morning feeling like shit with this bruise on my forehead." He touched the bruise softly.

"You scared me last night, Sam." She said, pulling away from him a second time. "You were not yourself."

"Is that why the door was locked when I came up this morning?" He asked, trying to read her.

"Yes, and how did you get in?" She questioned.

"I picked the lock, Mercedes." He responded as if it were normal, "but that doesn't matter right now. Did I? What exactly did I do to you?"

"You pushed me!" She spoke harshly. "into the wall and J.T had to get you away from me."

"Did I..."

"Hit me?" She asked and Sam nodded. "No, you didn't hit me, Sam, but I can only imagine what would've happened if J.T would have left earlier."

"I'm sorry," He replied his eyes searching hers and Mercedes could see nothing but honesty and hurt in his eyes.

Her eyes watered now. There was no way he could have possibly known. Besides, she knew that he would never hurt her on purpose.

"Baby, I promise.." Sam's eyes were watering as well now and Mercedes had to bite her lip to stop her own tears as she hugged him to her now.

"I know." She whispered against his hair. "I know you didn't mean to." She kissed his jaw and he tilted his head to kiss her lips before gently nudging her back onto the bed.

"I'm so sorry, Baby." He whispered, removing his towel then climbing onto the bed to kiss his way up her legs until he met her soft thighs. "I love you so much."

Mercedes sighed, her breathing speeding up slightly as she felt his trail of wet kisses against the inside of her thighs.

"I love you too."

**Heeeey! What did you guys think of this chapter? Did you like it or did you love it? I'd really like to know your thoughts on it all so please let me know what you feel and be sure to let me know what you would like to see in the next chapter. Also, I'm still working to update _A Woman's Worth_ and _Flash Money_ for those who follow those two fics. I currently _lost_ my flash drive that contained ALL of my writing files though, so I'm trying to figure out what exactly to do with my entire life. Thank you all for reading and for the reviews though. I appreciate you greatly.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Oooo, an update. Lol. Please forgive any errors and enjoy! :-***

Mercedes wasn't used to it. She could never be used to it, but it wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

The only difference between this time and last time though was...No. There was no difference. Even then, he'd promised that he'd never do it again.

She lay in bed with the sheets, that she'd been clawing at only moments earlier when Sam brought her to a mind blowing orgasm, wrapped around her frame.

She was tired but not so tired that she couldn't get up, but still and yet, she continued to lay there.

She could hear movement in the kitchen down stairs now and she was sure that Sam was making himself something to eat.

She let her eyes shut subconsciously.

_***Six months earlier***_

_"Why do you have to leave today? Mercedes placed a plate of food in front of Sam and he didn't bulge as he merely sat there looking down at the plate._

_"Babe?" Mercedes reached out to touch him and he pushed her hand away._

_"Don't touch me."_

_She turned her eyebrows down at him then reached out for him again, "what do you mean, don't-"_

_"I said, don't!" Sam stood up from the table and pushed her away from him. _

_"Sam!" Mercedes nearly yelled, looking up at him. His eyes were dark and Mercedes had never seen him look so angry before in her life, and nothing scared her more than the fact that she was the cause of such anger without even knowing how._

_She walked towards him, "Baby, look at me." She reached out to him again and he let her touch him this time so she pulled him to her to hug his body to hers._

_"I'm sorry." He whispered, caressing her hair now as he hugged her tightly. "Forgive me."_

She could feel tears warm around her eyelids as she shook the vision of six months ago from her thoughts.

The only difference between this time and last time though was...There was definitely a difference. He'd promised that he'd never do it again, then he'd done it again and it was worse this time. It was scarier and she couldn't help but think about if it were to ever happen-NO, it wouldn't happen again. She wouldn't allow it.

"Mercy?" She heard Sam's call from the doorway and she opened her eyes, causing the sheltered tear to roll down her face. She quickly wiped it.

"What's wrong?" It was too late. Sam had noticed the action and she knew he would be persistent in finding out what was the matter as he sat down on the bed with a tray of food.

"I made this for you." He smiled softly as she simply looked up at him. "I know how much you love croissants and grapefruit."

Mercedes laughed, "You talk about my cooking and then you bring me a piece of bread, fruit, and cereal."

Sam chuckled, "Baby, it's the thought that counts."

She scooted up to kiss him softly on the lips before sitting back and reaching for the tray. "Thank you." She said after he'd sat it on her lap.

Looking at her, he reached out to touch her face-wiping at the tear that she'd tried to wipe away. "Talk to me."

Mercedes picked at the grapefruit, then shook her head. "I was just thinking about something."

"Something that made you cry so tell me what it was."

Mercedes shook her head again, "It was nothing important."

"If it made you cry, it was important, so what was it?' He asked. "Were you thinking about me? Did I make you cry?"

Mercedes sat her tray to the side before sitting up on her knees. She still had on her oversized tee, but she was now bare of the shorts that she'd had on earlier and last night, and Sam had rid her of her panties not too long ago as well.

Placing her hands on his shoulder, she climbed onto his lap and he allowed her to-pulling her body closer to his and enjoying the way her soft body felt against his more firm one.

She hugged him tightly, not saying anything at first as he hugged her back.

"You didn't make me cry, Sam." She said softly, bringing her head up from his shoulder. "The things you do make me cry. I'm scared for you, for us."

Sam turned his eyebrows down then. "You're scared for us?"

Mercedes nodded her head.

"Do you wanna leave me?"

"Sam, what are you talking about?"

"You said you're scared for us. Do you want to leave me, Mercedes?"

"I never said I wanted to leave you." Mercedes' voice remained calm as she was still on Sam's lap.

His eyes went dark...again, and this was what Mercedes hated most because she could never recognize him when he was this way. He was no longer the boy she'd met in high school years earlier nor the man that she'd married when he was like this.

"No one is leaving anyone, Sam. I love you too much for that."

Sam swallowed hard, "Good, because I would never let you leave me, Mercedes." He was whispering now. "You are _my_ wife and I'd be damned if I let anyone else have you."

Mercedes exhaled, "Please stop talking like that."

"Like what?"

"You're not making any sense." Mercedes shook her head. "I never said anything about leaving you."

"I'm not making any sense."

"and stop hearing only what you want to hear!" Mercedes voice went up this time.

"Is it only what I want to hear or is it the truth?"

"Oh my fucking God." Mercedes whispered. "This shit right here is the reason why I was crying, Sam. I don't like it when you get like this."

"You said you loved me."

"I do love you, I just don't like it when you get like this."

Sam shook his head. "Like what?"

"Like you are now! Needy, accusing, angry!"

"So, just because you can't handle me _sometimes_ you wanna leave me?"

"Where are you getting the idea that I want to leave you, Sam? You know what." She kissed his forehead softly. "I love you, and I don't want to discuss this with you right now."

She started to climb off of his lap and he grabbed her waist. "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna put some pants on and then I'm going downstairs." She managed to climb down from his lap.

* * *

Mercedes could see Sam watching her from the corner of her eye-his gaze intense on her as she pulled on a pair of jogging pants.

"Are you gonna try and leave me, Mercy?" Sam looked over at her.

"Would you like some coffee? I'm sure you have a hangover."

"I don't have a fucking hangover, Mercedes. I know when someone is trying to leave me."

"Apparently you don't, Sam." Mercedes said, walking over to the bed to retrieve the tray. She was trying her best to remain calm. "You need to get help."

Sam was quiet now. Standing up from the bed, he went over to the closet and put on a white tee shirt before walking past her and out of the bedroom door.

She followed him, "What are you doing?"

He didn't say anything as he continued to walk at a steady pace.

"I'm talking to you, Samuel."

She stopped in her tracks when he opened the front door, only to see J.T walking towards the door now.

"What's up, Sam?" J.T asked and Sam didn't stop as he walked past the man and down the front steps.

"What's up with him?" He pointed at Sam before walking inside and closing the door behind himself.

"He's just going for a walk." Mercedes shrugged. "Would you like some coffee?"

J.T shook his head, "No, I just came to apologize to you two about last night. I know I shouldn't have gotten Sam drunk and took him hunting. I don't know what I was thinking." He sighed softly. "I guess I was just feeling like old times."

"It's okay, J.T." She shook her head. "I know you don't have any sense."

J.T chuckled, "ouch." He held his heart. "That really hurt, Mercedes."

Mercedes started towards the kitchen with the tray that she'd been holding and she could hear J.T's feet close behind her.

"Come here." He grabbed her from behind and she snatched away from him.

"Are you crazy?" She whispered harshly, sitting the tray down.

"Crazy about you." J.T answered seriously.

"My husband is outside." She spoke at him. "And I guarantee you he's a lot more crazier about me than you _think_ you are."

"I don't want him here."

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at J.T. "You cannot be serious right now."

"But I am." J.T answered simply. "We were doing just fine without him, Mercedes."

Mercedes chuckled loudly. "_We_ were not doing anything, let's get that straight."

"It's not like I didn't want to."

* * *

_***Six months earlier***_

_"Take care of the family for me, man." Sam spoke to J.T from the window of his uncle Melvin's truck._

_"Don't I always?" J.T assured him. "And you better come back in one piece."_

_Sam chuckled. "Haven't I always managed to come back in one piece?" He looked up to see Mercedes coming back down the stairs as she'd gone inside to retrieve a small box._

_"Here you go," She handed it to Sam once she'd made it over to the truck. "Merry Christmas again."_

_Sam took the small box then opened the door of the truck to climb out. "I love you so much." He hugged her tightly then kissed her forehead, savoring it._

_"I love you too." She whispered, her voice hoarse. "Now go ahead before you make me cry and remember, don't open it until you get there."_

_Sam loosened his grip only to kiss her lips. "J.T is going to take good care of you, okay? Anything you need, call him."_

_Mercedes smiled up at him. "The only thing I'm going to be asking for is you." She pouted._

_"I'll write and call every chance I get." Sam spoke softly._

_"You better."_

_***Three months later*** _

_Mercedes sat on the couch, constantly reading over the letter that Sam had sent her and every time she read the words, "I love you" her eyes would water-making her want him more._

_The doorknob to the front door turned and she jumped slightly then exhaled when she saw that it was only J.T. "Do you not know how to fucking knock?" She asked, folding her letter and sitting it on the table beside her._

_"I would if I thought the door was ever locked." J.T answered, setting groceries down. "Besides, aren't you the one who called yesterday and told me to bring you a whole list of things?"_

_"That list didn't say to barge in." Mercedes argued, "I could have been naked."_

_J.T didn't say anything to that. "Well, I have everything you asked for right here." _

_"Thank you."_

_"Do you need me to put anything up?" He asked._

_"No thanks," Mercedes waved a hand at him. "You've helped out enough. Besides my mother will be over in about an hour, so I'll be fine."_

_"You sure?" J.T asked._

_"I'm positive."_

_"Mercedes, I-"_

_Mercedes looked up at J.T with questioning eyes._

_"Mercedes, do you remember when you met Sam?"_

_Mercedes was smiling now. "I do. It was our Junior year of high school. He was different, yet so sweet." She paused, still smiling. "Why?"_

_"Do you remember how you met him?"_

_Mercedes thought back. "Yea, through you. The twelfth grade clown."_

_J.T chuckled then nodded. "I messed up."_

_Mercedes turned her eyebrows down at that, "What do you mean?" She asked._

_"Mercedes, since high school I have had feelings for you."_

_Mercedes eyes widened now._

_"I loved everything about you, and I still do."_

_"You hooked me up with your best friend, J.T."_

_J.T walked over to the couch she was sitting on and sat down beside her. "I only did that because I was afraid to admit my feeling for you, so I told Sam all about you...made him see all the things I saw in you so that he could get close to you because I wanted you to be around in some way."_

_Mercedes inhaled and exhaled deeply then shook her head._

_"It's true." J.T said. "Now I regret it. I've held off from telling you this for over seven years now and I can't anymore."_

_Mercedes shook her head some more. "No."_

_"Yes, Mercedes." J.T nodded his head. "I know Sam will be back for good this time when he come home from war and I am going to hate that because I don't want to have to watch it all again. I don't want to see him being happy with you and you loving him like you should have loved me in the first place."_

_"J.T, just stop." Mercedes swallowed hard._

_"No!" J.T all but whispered. "I love you, Mercedes and I want you.."_

_Mercedes shrunk away then, "Uh uh."_

_Without another word, J.T scooted towards her and Mercedes shook her head again. "J.T, what are you doing?" She tried to scoot away and he grabbed her hand. "J.T, please no."_

_"I'm not going to do anything that you don't want me to do to you." He pulled her to him. "I just want to do what Sam has told me to do. Let me take care of you."_

_Mercedes breathing was heavy now and before she knew it, she was submitting to J.T-letting him kiss her and make her weak before he moved to the other end of the couch to pull at her legs until she was laid out completely, her fingers soon gripping the back go his head as he pleasured her._

* * *

"Did you really think I was gonna have sex with you with knowing that my husband would be home in less than two months? You must be out of your damn mind."

"You let me eat you out."

Mercedes eyes shifted.

"Twice in one day before, six times in all when Sam was away, Mercedes. Now tell me you didn't think about giving me more."

Mercedes didn't look at him. "I regretted it every time it happened."

"But you still let it happen."

"You can't blame me for being lonely."

"You were lonely all the rest of those years too. You didn't let me have you then."

"You never came on to me either." Mercedes regretted those words as soon as they left her mouth.

"So you did think about me," J.T smiled.

"No, I did not." Mercedes answered. "You never once crossed my mind."

"Not once, Mercedes?" J.T asked. "Not even that night when I heard you upstairs pleasuring yourself?"

Mercedes eyes widened. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I heard you when you must have thought the front door was locked." He was staring at her now. "I walked up the stairs and you sounded so damn good to me. I wanted you."

"Are you serious right now?"

J.T chuckled, "I'm so serious, Mercedes."

Mercedes glared at J.T. "You disgust me."

"You don't mean that." J.T smirked, stepping back when they heard the front door open.

"I'm going out for a drink." They heard Sam call from the front room. "Don't wait up."

Mercedes pushed past J.T and hurried to the living room where Sam was putting on his uniform jacket.

"You're not going anywhere." She walked up to him and patted at his pockets, searching for his keys. "You don't need to drink."

"Let him go." J.T watched from a distance.

Sam moved away from Mercedes and she turned around and glared at J.T, "Shut the fuck up, J.T."

J.T shrugged then and leaned up against the wall as he watched Mercedes reach for the keys now in Sam's hand. "He's a grown man, Mercedes." He pushed himself back up from the wall. "As a matter of fact, I think the both of us should go for a drink, and before you say anything, I promise not to let him drink too much this time."

Mercedes was not at all amused by J.T's bullshit.

"Don't worry, Mercedes. You and I both know that I'm good at taking care of people."

Mercedes swallowed hard, then stepped back. The last thing she needed J.T to do was cause a scene because she knew there was no way she would be able to handle it all.

She walked over to where he was standing, "I hate you." She whispered before starting towards the stairs. "Don't bring him back here tonight."

* * *

Mercedes was sure she was dreaming when she heard a faint huffing sound, until she opened her eyes and it was still there.

She wondered if she should sit up then wondered if it were something inhuman down on the floor on the other side of the bed.

Remaining still, she looked over at the small table clock. _2:36 a.m_

It was almost 3:00 in the morning and Sam was not in bed beside her. _Was it him on the floor? If so, what the hell was he doing?_ She thought for a second then rolled her eyes as realization hit her. _Push ups._

Sitting up slowly, she crawled to the other side of the bed and looked over the edge and sure enough, there he was. _How long had he been down there?_

"Baby, come to bed." She whispered down at him and he got in a push up position and looked up at her before standing up from the floor.

"I'm gonna shower."

After a while, Mercedes heard the water go off in the bathroom and Sam was back in the room-wearing only a pair of briefs.

She looked at him as he climbed onto the bed, causing the bed to dip a little, then she rose up to look at him in the darkness as he laid there looking up at the ceiling.

"Come on." He pulled at her and she climbed on top of him and laid her head down on his chest as he wrapped his strong arms around her.

Everything was quiet now as she listened to his heartbeat. It hadn't changed one bit and she felt a sudden security lying in his arms.

"You know you mean the world to me, right?"

Sam was talking low but his voice boomed with the position she was in.

"I do." She whispered softly, using her hand to draw imaginary lines on his chest.

"And you know that I would do anything for you and anything to keep you, right?"

"I do." She answered again.

"I'm gonna go to therapy."

Mercedes lifted her head to look at him now.

"I'm gonna go to therapy because I don't want to ruin us. I don't want you to leave me, Mercedes."

Mercedes sat up completely, cupping his face with her hands. "Sam, I will never leave you." She spoke softly. "I don't even know what I would do without you."

She could feel his tears on her palms now. "Don't cry." She whispered, leaning down to kiss him. "You don't have to cry."

Sam reached up to grab her face now as well, "and I never want you to cry again because of me. Do you hear me?" He asked.

Mercedes smiled softly, "I hear you." She kissed him again before lying down atop of him again. "Thank you."

"Sam?" She called out after a while, her head still against his chest.

"Yea?"

"You didn't drink."

"Did you really believe I was gonna go out and drink then not be able to come home to you?"

"You were so angry earlier and not wanting to hear what I had to say that I didn't know what to believe."

Sam shook his head, "Well believe me when I tell you that I would never go against your word, Mercedes no matter how angry I am. I love you too much for that."

"I love you too."

"I love you more, now go back to sleep."

**Heyyy! You guys have no idea how much I enjoy writing this story! I love it. Anyhow, what did you guys think of this chapter? Did you like it or did you love it? Leave a review and let me in on your thoughts. Also, J.T...smh, what to do with that clown? Lol, I guess you'll just have to stay tuned to see where the story is going to go. Thanks you for reading. I really do appreciate you guys!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Pop that...never mind. I don't even know why I'm typing this right now, lol. Anyhow, enjoy and forgive any errors. :)**

_"We're never gonna get a catch out here with you being so loud." Sam laughed at J.T who was close behind him. __They had left the family earlier and gone out to the woods to hunt and J.T had even brought a few beers along._

_J.T moved alongside of Sam and they both stopped at the rustling of leaves around them. "Do you see it?" J.T whispered, lifting his gun._

_"I see it." Sam whispered back, being super still. As soon as he was about to put his finger on the clip of his gun, the four legged mammal took off and J.T started quickly after it._

_"J.T, you're not-" Sam called out but J.T was already long gone._

_Sam stood there, listening to the sounds around him. The night was dark and the wind was close, almost too close as he looked around him at the many shadows of the trees. "Damn, J.T." He sat his gun down and picked up the beer that he'd sat down once they'd stopped in their tracks and gulped the drink from the can._

_The last thing he remembered was waking up and having to pick he and Mercedes' bedroom lock to get inside._

* * *

Mercedes pulled the covers up to her neck as she was sprawled out on the living room couch. Sam had been out doing yard work all morning _to keep himself busy_, only stopping long enough to come inside for a bite to eat._  
_

She flipped through the television stations, coming across a commercial that made her chuckle before finally deciding on watching _Bridezillas_.

"I could never act like that towards Sam." She shook her head at the television. "That shit is just ridiculous."

She looked up from her spot on the couch when she heard a loud knock on the front door. It couldn't be Sam because he wouldn't knock and it couldn't be his mother or her mother because they would have definitely called before coming over.

Rising up from the couch, she asked who it was at the door. When she didn't receive a response, she called out again and she still didn't get an answer.

"Well okay, go away." There was a change in her tone this time around.

Before she could even decide on whether she would open the door or not, the person on the other side of it twisted the doorknob and she took a small step backwards. "What the-"

"Oh, shut the hell up! That's no way to treat a guest!"

Mercedes almost yelled out when she saw her best friend of over 8 years now. "Oh my goodness, Santana!" Mercedes covered her mouth to hide how big her smile was.

"Stop being cute and help me with my bags." Santana said, killing the moment as always.

Mercedes dropped her hand and picked up two of Santana's four bags and bringing them inside before leading them upstairs. "Why did I not know you were coming to Texas?" Mercedes asked happily. "You didn't call or anything."

"I didn't call _you_ because your ass didn't call me." Santana replied. "The last time I heard from you was the last time I stayed here two weeks before Sam came back. After that you forgot all about me."

"That's not true." Mercedes responded. "You're just petty as hell because I'm sure your end of the phone works exactly the same as mine, so you could have called me."

Once they were at the door of the guest room, Mercedes sat Santana's things by the door before opening it to go inside. "How the hell did you even figure that we would have a room for you?" She asked, picking up the bags again before walking inside of the room.

"I talked to your husband before I came, Mercedes. Damn, how dumb do you think I am?" Santana laughed, watching Mercedes sit her bags on the queen sized bed. "I know that the Evans and Jones believe they live here when this is clearly you and Sam's home and mine when I come from New York, if course."

Mercedes laughed, "Girl, you wish!"

"Don't act like me and you hadn't planned out our lives in high school, Mercedes." Santana rolled her eyes. "You were going to marry someone handsome and rich and I was going to marry a complete bad boy."

Mercedes laughed.

"Instead, you ended up going out with Sam and I decided that I was more attracted to the same sex rather than the opposite sex." Santana laughed.

"Yea, we _did_ have everything planned out." Mercedes smiled, reminiscing. "We even asked my dad to give us one of his Home Plan books so that we could look at the way we wanted our home to be built."

"Why the hell did you have to follow Sam and be an army wife?" Santana joked, even though she really wished it would have turned out as planned.

Mercedes chuckled softly. "Because I love him."

"Ugghh." Santana waved Mercedes off. "Okay, okay. I didn't come here to hear you confess your love for Sam."

Mercedes chuckled. "Speaking of all of this, where is Alaina and why didn't she come?"

"Who's Alaina?" Santana asked, now unpacking her things and not looking back at Mercedes.

Mercedes gawked. "Your girlfriend."

"Oh, we're not together anymore. We decided that we were better off apart like a week ago."

"And I didn't hear anything about this?" Mercedes asked.

Santana shrugged. "I was going to tell you eventually. I just needed time to think."

"That's crazy. I'd never known for you to love anyone like you loved Alaina and you two-"

"Mercedes." Santana held up a hand to her best friend. "I really didn't here come to talk about this."

"What did you come to talk about then?" Mercedes asked. "Because I want to know what happened between you two." Mercedes said, moving to the other side of the bed to sit down.

"Santana?" Mercedes looked up at her friend who had become quiet all of a sudden. Her shoulders were shaking terribly and Mercedes knew then that she was crying. Standing up from the bed, she walked over to Santana-placing a hand on her shoulder. "Tana?"

"I just..." Santana shrugged. "I wanted to get away from New York for a little bit, from work, from her-"

Mercedes moved to hug Santana to her then. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Santana wiped her eyes. "I came here to have fun, so where is the wine?" She smiled softly before throwing the rest of the items that she'd been holding onto the bed and pulling at Mercedes to exit the room. "I'll finishing unpacking when I come back up."

"Sounds good to me." Mercedes said, allowing Santana to lead the way.

Once downstairs, Santana went directly to the kitchen and to the refrigerator. "What's for dinner?"

Mercedes laughed softly. "Whatever you want if you're cooking it."

Santana paused and looked back at her then. "Are you pregnant?"

"What?" Mercedes laughed. "Do I look that fat?"

"No, you don't look fat. As a matter of fact you seem to have lost weight." Santana replied. "I was just asking because judging by the couch and the blanket there, you were lying down before I showed up, there's no food cooked in this kitchen, and you would usually have tea or something to drink in here."

"You know you peeped an awful lot for someone who has only been here for less than an hour." Mercedes laughed. "I'm not pregnant."

"Oh yea." Santana looked over at Mercedes, sucking her lips in. "I forgot to tell you that Sam asked me to ask you if you could please bring him something to drink. As hot as it is out there, he's probably dead by now."

Mercedes shook her head and stepped past Santana. "Don't joke like that about my husband." She laughed before reaching up into a cabinet to get a glass to pour Sam a glass of water.

* * *

Sam stood up straight and used his T-shirt to wash sweat from his forehead while looking at his work. He'd mowed the lawn, piled wood, and even trimmed the bushes. Now he was tired and thirsty as hell.

Just as he was heading back towards the house, he saw Mercedes in the distance walking quickly towards him.

"I was just about dead out here." He smiled as she made it over to him and handed him the glass of water.

"I'm gonna kill you and Santana if you keep talking crazy." Mercedes watched him gulp down the water. "Santana didn't let me know."

"It's okay. I was just heading in anyhow." He started towards the house again with Mercedes following close behind. "Gonna take a shower then relax for a bit until you call me down for dinner."

"Okay." Mercedes answered as they started up the front porch and to the door now.

"Just don't keep me waiting too long." Sam said, stopping in his tracks to look down at Mercedes. "I know how you and Santana are. You will stay up all night and leave me up there, hungry and wondering if I'm loved."

"Ah, quit it." Mercedes laughed, hitting Sam on his chest. "I do not abandon you. You are the one who kept abandoning me, had me worried out of my mind."

Sam was quiet then as he looked down at Mercedes and she simply stared back at him, searching his eyes.

"Well, I'm here now...for good." He whispered before leaning down to kiss her lips softly.

* * *

Dinner was nothing near quiet even though there were only three people the table, it easily sounded like an entire family of more than six as they sat there discussing old times.

"Noooo! Remember when Shane was about to beat J.T's ass because he thought he liked Mercedes when it was actually you and Mercedes who had something going on?" Santana laughed loudly at the thought. "It was so funny."

Sam was laughing as well. "I doubt Shane would have beat J.T." He shook his head. "J.T was fire hot when he came to me that day. I still remember having to calm him down."

Mercedes chuckled and shook her head at her husband and her best friend. Always full of shit. "I was so shocked at Shane for doing that."

"Where is J.T anyhow?" Santana asked. "I tried calling him earlier but he didn't pick. Thought he would be over here by now."

Mercedes shrugged quickly. She truly didn't care.

"He probably came across some work." Sam shrugged as well. "He'll be here tomorrow though, just watch."

"Yea, I can't wait to see everyone else tomorrow. We should call them over in the morning." Santana smiled widely.

"We can." Mercedes answered, standing up to take Sam's plate as he had finished eating. "Would you like some more of anything?" She asked.

"No, thank you." He smiled then leaned back in his chair, looking up at her. "Everything was delicious though."

"Oh, don't thank me. Santana cooked." Mercedes pointed at her friend.

"Yea, give me my props Blondy." Santana held her hands up before Sam.

"Oh, it was alright." He said jokingly, standing up from the table.

Santana laughed softly. "I guess serving for your country didn't teach you that hating is a crime."

Sam laughed some more. "I'm joking, Santana. The lasagna was delicious. Not better than Mercedes, but it was good." He joked some more and Mercedes couldn't help but to turn around and laugh at the two of them.

"Hush you two." She looked over her shoulders from the dishes in the sink. "Santana bring me that plate, girl."

"Wait." Santana said quickly, finishing the last of her meal. "Your husband talks so damn much that I couldn't eat."

"Whatever." Sam laughed, reaching for Santana's plate when she was done and taking it over to Mercedes. "I'm gonna go up now." He spoke softly to her. "Please don't stay down here all night."

"Okay." Mercedes responded simply and he leaned in to kiss her before exiting the kitchen.

* * *

"I hate you so much!" Santana nearly yelled at Mercedes. They were now laid out across the living room floor with chips and cokes and their conversation had somehow ended up on high school again."

"She was so fucking petty though and you know it." Mercedes laughed loudly.

"I can't believe I even liked her at one point." Santana shook her head. "She really did think she was better than everyone."

"That's what made you start to hate her." Mercedes pointed out. "Do you remember that time in Glee club when you stood up and just went in on her?"

"That shit was hell'a funny!" Santana laughed. "She was all like, you're so cruel, Santana and I'm just like fuck off Rachel."

"I have a confession." Mercedes' tone changed.

"What?" Santana looked over at her then.

"I kind'a went into the restroom after her that day and told her not to be so sad because you were a bitch to everyone, even me at times."

Santana sat up then. "What?" She exclaimed. "I was never a bitch to you, Mercedes."

"Yes, you were Santana!" Mercedes exclaimed as well. "Before you found out that I didn't like girls you were so sweet to me, then after you came on to me that day and I told you that I didn't go that way, you definitely changed towards me."

"I changed towards you, but I was still nice to your ass." Santana laughed softly causing Mercedes to laugh as well.

* * *

All Sam heard was laughing. No matter how loud he turned the television up to block out the laughter, his mind still managed to focus on it.

He looked straight ahead at his image in the full length mirrors lined against the entire wall of their bedroom. If he squinted hard enough or walked over to the mirror, he could see the bruise on his forehead which was healing slowly.

He touched the bruise softly even though it didn't hurt at all. _What had happened that night out in the woods with J.T? Where had this bruise come from?__  
_

He hadn't even realized that he had started pulling at his fingertips until he decided to get up from the bed to go downstairs where the laughter was only seeming to get louder by the minute.

* * *

"So he's going crazy?" Santana asked Mercedes on a small chuckle.

"It's not funny and stop talking so loudly." Mercedes looked behind her as if others were in the room with them.

"I've always thought Sam was weird looking but weird looking and crazy, hell no."

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at Santana. "I'm not laughing with you."

Santana calmed her laughter then. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry, damn! You know I can't take things seriously sometimes." Santana replied. "I know he's not crazy and I'm happy he decided to go to therapy if you really believe it's something that will be good for him."

"I do." Mercedes responded softly.

"Well, you know he's going to do whatever you ask him to do." Santana shrugged. "I swear, you've had Sam pussy whipped since our Junior year of high school."

"We didn't even have sex our Junior year of high school." Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"Oh, that's right!" Santana said quickly. "It was only a summer fling."

Mercedes laughed then. "It was more than a summer fling."

"Hmmm-mmh!" Sam cleared his throat and Mercedes and Santana looked up to see him standing on the staircase, looking over at the two of them. "I've come to take my wife to bed."

"Damn!" Santana spoke first. "What the hell were they teaching you overseas? You can't be sneaking up on people like that."

"How long have you been standing there?" Mercedes ignored Santana and stood up from the floor to walk over to Sam.

"Long enough to hear Santana talking about our sex life again." He shook his head. "I forgot to ask you where your girl was."

Mercedes widened her eyes at Sam and shook her head slightly, trying to give him a hint.

"I left her back in New York where she belongs." Santana shrugged. "Came here to try and win your girl one last time."

"That's never gonna happen." Sam laughed softly even though the joke wasn't amusing to him like it used to be in the past.

Santana laughed softly. "You better be lucky we have an understanding that she wants no one other than you."

"Santana, hush!" Mercedes laughed before moving in front of Sam and grabbing his hand. "and goodnight." She started up the stairs with him following close behind.

"Goodnight, Lovebirds." Santana smiled softly. "I'm just gonna watch some more T.V before getting ready for bed because y'all know I suffer from insomnia."

* * *

Mercedes had gotten into the shower and was soon snuggled beside Sam, dressed in an over sized T shirt and a pair of boy shorts.

"You did a good job with the yard today." Mercedes spoke softly, her head on his chest-listening to him breathing slowly.

"Yea, I have to keep myself busy so that I won't-" He paused. "I have to keep myself busy."

"So that you won't what, Sam?" Mercedes asked, shifting slightly to look up at him. There was no way he was going to act like she hadn't caught that.

"Pull at my fingers." Sam said. "I've seen how you look at me when you catch me doing it." He spoke lowly. "You may not have said anything about it, but I notice everything."

Mercedes stared up at him. "You're really gonna try this for me, huh?"

"You know I am." He said honestly. "I can't afford to lose you, Mercedes when I'm convinced that I have manged to lose myself."

"You'll never lose me." She said softly before lying her head back on his chest. She'd tell him that as many times as she had to until he realized that she was going nowhere. "Pass me that remote?"

Sam reached over and grabbed the remote from the small table on his side of the bed and handed it to Mercedes.

"Santana is a fool." She laughed, turning the television on and flipping through the channels.

"What happened?" He asked.

"We were just discussing those from Glee club again and Rachel came up." Mercedes chuckled.

"Oh, yea." Sam laughed as well. "She couldn't stand Rachel Berry!"

"Right!" Mercedes chuckled.

"But that crazy thing is-"

"She wanted to talk to her at one point!" They both finished the sentence together.

"Exactly!" Mercedes laughed.

"Then all of a sudden, it's the Santana and Rachel fued every single day in Glee club." Sam laughed some more then sighed. "I really did enjoy those years of high school with my Glee family."

"Yea, me too." Mercedes spoke lowly now. "It was always so fun."

"Not to mention, it's where I met you."

"Correct." Mercedes smiled up at him.

"That's what I remember the most about it. Your face, your voice, your style, your-"

"You _have_ to want sex right now." Mercedes chuckled, cutting him off.

"I want sex because I'm telling my wife how much I loved everything about her before she was my wife?" Sam laughed softly. "No, Mercedes, I don't want sex. I just want you here with me."

**Heeyy Guys! Did you like it or did you love it? Sorry about the wait but school is coming to an end for this semester and I can't do anything besides focus for these finals or it's my ass. Also, I know that I said I wasn't going to update "Flash Money" again but after long thought, I have decided that I am definitely going to update that story again. It just might be next. Until next time!**


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